Exclusive: The Met’s Carmen is running late
OperaFrom our spy in the flies:
Yesterday was the Family version of of the Julie Taymor Magic Flute. Huge sets. It started at 11.00 am. It’s supposed to be a 90 minute opera, but with a slightly late start, and bows, off around 1.00pm.
This new Carmen, is absolutely gigantic. It was built in Cardiff ( I told you all this ) made of steel. Very heavy.
The piano dress was supposed to start at 7.00pm. The crew ( as has been typical with this set) were still desperately trying to put it together, at 7.00.
Company went down to C level at 8.00 pm to pretend to rehearse a bit . Then, back up to stage for roughly a 9 pm start. Skipped the Michaela Jose duet.
Basically the chorus keeps walking around on a revolving set dressed like refugees, until the 4th act when they look more cheerful at the bullfight which is the big metal bleachers.
I have never seen the entire crew so ragged, so disheveled so disheartened. Because this would not be happening if Gelb not closed our own carpentry shop… these people know what will and will not work; he never ever listened
While they continue to work as world class professionals, upper management threatens to breach the long standing terms of the CBA regarding a night off … considered a kind of “compensatory time off“ for 6 am starts to 11 pm finishes on many days.
Morale is at an all time low.
Disappointing. As a regular Met attendee I am always amazed that they put on 6 shows a week and usually at least 4 productions that are different each week. The work these folks do backstage is frankly extraordinary. Closing their own carpentry shop is penny wise and pound foolish. Just as bad I had a correspondence with a conductor who was due to conduct next season and the production was cancelled with no reason offered and no communication other than “it’s cancelled.” While the “great stars” may get Gelb’s faux seductive treatment, it’s apparent that extends to far too few…………..
There are no great vocal stars any longer. That’s the #1 problem from which all others manifest. The elephant in the room.
Nonsense. This is the old “I don’t go to the opera because there is no Leontyne Price or Franco Corelli any more.” That may be true but there is Lise Davidsen and Asmik Grigorian to name one killer voice and one killer singing actress……..there’s lots to enjoy. I also still go to concerts even though there are no Toscaninis or Stokowskis around……..
Beware “killing singer-actress”, an euphemism for killing with faint praise.
There’s some people around who think the old days at the MET were an unending stream of Callas, Caruso, and Chaliapin – conducted by Toscanini.
Listening to old tapes, even the met’s second string players were much better than the’stars’ of today. Gelb gotta go.
Whenever I have been lucky enough to attend a dress rehearsal, I consider myself privileged, and also assume that there was an accepted policy that attendees shouldn’t say anything about the rehearsal, until after the first night. I appreciate that this comment from your “spy” is about a “piano“ dress rehearsal, but I would have thought that the same rules of respectful behaviour apply. Your heading refers to your spy being in the flies: if this means that he/she is a member of the company, this would of course be worse and, if I had anything to do with it, that person would be summarily fired. Putting on a theatrical production – especially of an opera – often involves incredibly complex work from director, conductor, musicians, singers, chorus, and stage workers. Say what you like after the first night but until then……..shhhh!
Nonsense. The Met deserves to have everything that can leak, leaked. They had it coming, and given what’s going on there, people need to know. This is opera, not the Pentagon.
In fairness to the spy, only the set problems– not voices or performances– were discussed and I believe that is fair game. Not remotely like reviewing a singer in a dress rehearsal.
Incorrect info received: Each Magic flute performance depending if conducted by Furrer or Morrell lasted at least 106-109 minutes, with few minutes late start, because there is no intermission 120-125 minutes. The person who claims 90 minutes based on MET’s webpage obviosly never heard a single performance of them (I did three so far).
I have seen the holiday Magic Flute many times, and not once has it been close to 90 minutes. For years, it was advertised as 100 minutes but it’s really more like 110, a timing listed on the Met’s own site. So it’s not crazy that it took 2 hours when you include a slightly late start and curtain calls. The more I hear from this mole, the more I question how knowledgeable they actually are.
And also, the downstairs rehearsal started shortly after 7:00 and the actual piano dress at 8:00, not 9:00. Let’s at least be accurate……
Were you there, as was apparently NL’s source?
One would have thought Gelbzabub would have learned a lesson after building the Ring in Canada. A project where his scene shop had to go up to Canada on overtime to the tune of millions of dollars to fix. He also spent millions to sure up the MET stage to handle the monstrosity. He really is a hapless, feckless GM. It is no wonder a number of composers will not deal with him and in at least one case, he hired an opera behind the composer’s back for later this year. It is high time for him to exit the MET, the company will be all the better for it. He makes Schuyler Chapin’s time in that job look effective.
I find it hard to believe that morale could sink further at the Met.
None of this is surprising with the Carmen set and is just repeat of the past. Peter’s ego does not permit him to learn from his mistakes.
At least I hope the end result for this production will be positive. God knows, the Met needs the revenue.
With 17 performances of Carmen they would have a tough time selling anywhere close to 63K seats, no matter how enticing the production and cast.
Tonight’s dress rehearsal has now been closed to audiences, at least as of a couple of hours ago.
As a new production, it may have respectable sales. As a repertory piece, doubtful.
Pauvre Met….the ineptness under Gelb has only increased.
Does the petrol pump indicate a play on the first syllable? I recall the splendid (albeit orthodox) John Copley Carmen at ENO in the 70s followed up by a setting in a used car lot, which was presumably a similar play. Dear, oh dear.
He’s doing a West Side Story version of Carmen one would suppose. Trite and cliche.
Let me guess: your “spy”’s codename is Deep Throat.
The elephant in the room. Is that Peter Gelb fired the Met’s most popular star almost two years ago. The Met has suffered while Anna Netrebko continues to draw sellout crowds and receive great reviews in Europe. Asia and South America. Aigu! Akhmetshina has vocal potential and sex appeal, but it takes a few years to develop into a super star.
Interest in the Ukraine war is fading as Gaza gets more attention. Has the Met taken a position on that conflict?
No one in the US cares about vocally washed up wobbler and Putin creep Netrebko. Europe can keep her. Bye.
If this is the same spy that was talking about all those “empty” houses the last week or two of the previous season I’d fact check their “news”.